Method of making metal reeds for wind instruments.



B. LYNN. METHOD OF MAKING METAL NEEDS FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS.

- APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1914. 1,133,868.

- Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

ERNEST LYNN, OF BEAVER FAIILS, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF MAKING METAL REEDS FOR FIND INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

Application filed April 29, 1914. Serial No. 835,142.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST LYNN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beaver Falls, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Making -Metal Reeds for Wind Instruments, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method of making metal reeds for wind instruments such as clarinets, Saxophones, or other musical instruments wherein are employed reeds sounded by-the passing air.

This invention has for its object the formulation of a method of making a reed of metal whereby it has been found .in practice a particularly superior tone is produced and the life of the reed rendered substantially permanent, or, at least indefinitely extended.

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents the mouthpiece of a clarinet having this invention applied thereto. Fig. 2

is a plan view of this invention detached. Fig. 3 is a side view, and Fig. 4. is a crosssection on the broken line 11-00 of Fig. 2.

Throughout the drawings and description, the same letter is used to refer to the same P r Considering the drawings, the clarinet A has a mouthpiece B, provided with the clamping devices C constructed to secure the reed D. The reed is composed of metal. As shown, it has a relatively thick and rigid end portion E, decreasing graduallyinto the flat, thin, and flexible end F, which forms the tongue or vibrating end of this invention. In ractice, greatly thicker than a piece of thin cardboard such as visiting cards are made from. The thickness is approximately one-fiftieth of an inch.

In making this invention the thicker end E, that has usually a rounded upper surface and a flat lower surface as shown in Fig. 4,-

is formed, and then the thin end portion is formed of difierent density by hammering it repeatedly. The continued hammering increases the density of the metal, and pro duces a most excellent result particularly with aluminum. The metal may be softened by heat and then subjected to the hammerthe thin end F is not 'ing, but, I do not limit my invention to the employment of heat, for the reason that the result may be accomplished by hammering cold metal.

It will be understood that the hammering action is not an unlimited or unregulated step in this method. With a given piece of metal, after a certain hammering, an instrumental trial is made of the reed. The object is to bring each reed by hammering and testmg up to the precise condition wherein the certain quality of musical sound desired is attained. Excessive hammering injures the quality of the sound, and it is not commercially practicable to bring the reed back to quality after too much hammering. The word quality in this description is not intended to mean the pitch, but rather the timber of the musical sound. This invention cannot be made by rolling or pressing. Again, when another piece of metal is taken u for hammering, it may, by reason of its diflerent nature, call for more hammering or less before it will create the exact quality of sound. Throu h repeated hammering, and musically testing each reed on an instrument, the reed is brought into the condition required.

It is customary to construct this invention as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the lower side being fiat and uninterrupted from end to end, and the thin end portion fiat on both sides. a

The operation of this invention is precisely the same as the use of the ordinary reed for wind instruments and need not be explained in detail. Reeds madein accordance with this invention are given a smooth external surface, they cannot become watersoaked, they cannot warp, dry out and crack,

they are practically indestructible, and may .be so readily cleansed as to be almost perfectly sanitary.

Having now described this invention and in repeatingthe said hammering and testg until a desired quality of tone obtained.-

- 2. A ifiethod of making metal reeds for wind instruments, consisting in heating one end of a piece of metal and. forming that end into a thinxflexible portion, and in hammering the saidthin end portion to vinerease the density and tomodify the elasticity, and" 

